The Return
by ReddistheRose
Summary: Since Cindy left, eight years ago, Jimmy (now 24) has felt the definate void in his life. Will he ever admit his feelings for Cindy, to himself, and more importantly, to her? JC (warning: Pretty darn fluffy) Please Review! Please!
1. Chapter One The Shocker

Hi! This is my first Jimmy Neutron fic, so it might be a little out there...but, anyway, this is about when Jimmy and the gang are about 23-24. He and most of the gang still live in Retroville, but Cindy had moved away in the 11th grade. With her gone, Jimmy knows a peice of him is missing. But since he never revealed his feelings, he's wishing he could go back.

But, then again, everone knows Cindy is one to take matters into her _own_ hands. ; )

Revieeeeews! PLEASE! Flames ok, too! (I might even add another chappie if asked nicely!)

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Jimmy! What? Jimmy _Neutron_? Duh, of course I don't own _him_! Cha! Duh! ;P

"Speech"

"_Thoughts_"

_-Flashbacks-_

This is all **ordinary** _emphasis_

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The Return

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He breathed deeply, taking in the fresh air. It was good to get out of the lab once in a while, and he was glad Sheen had dragged him out today.

_"I wonder what she's doing right now?"_ He shook himself inside._ "Stop. You don't care, remember? You don't care what she's doing…or where she is…or…" _He rubbed his face wearily. Maybe he _was_ spending way to much time indoors. The stress of his latest project was getting to him. "_Next thing I know, I'll be hearing her voice!"_

As if summoned, it came.

"I _thought_ you might be here."

The voice from his past gave him a start. Turing around, what he saw caused him to drop his jaw.

"C-Cindy?"

She placed her hands on her hips. She had changed.

Wow, _how_ she had changed. It had been 8 years since he had seen her last.

_"8 years…"_ He actually managed to think to himself. He could almost _feel_ his neural receptors misfiring.

Her long, blonde hair swished as she walked closer, a determined look in her deep, green eyes. "Jimmy." Her voice had grown up, along with her body.

His mind flashed back to the last time he had heard that voice...

_-_

_"Well, **fine**, Nerdtron. I guess you're happy now, you'll probably never see me again. It's not like you'll even have to miss me, huh? I'm sure Betty Q will be happy to keep you and your pointy hair busy."_

"Darn right. Gee, Vortex, I would have thought you'd be happy to be away from me."

"T-That's right. Hmph. I am glad."

She picked up her bag. "Have a nice life, jerk." She walked away, not even looking back.

He watched her go, devastated.

Why did things always come out wrong? Now she would look back on him…and hate him.

Maybe it was better that way.

Better if he left it…as a 'never was' instead of a 'used to be'.

He snapped back to the present as he heard the voice of his friend, Sheen, behind him.

"_Whoa_!"

Cindy looked at him briefly. "Hey, Sheen."

"Cindy? Whoa! Haven't seen _you_ in a long time."

"Yeah. Thought I'd visit my old stomping grounds." She waved to indicate the direction of the school yard across from the park they now occupied.

"Geez, Cindy, you're _changed_!"

"I grew up. It happens, I've been told." She chuckled absent-mindedly, then she turned her focus to Jimmy again.

Her green eyes pierced him.

"Uh- um…" Jimmy stuttered, trying desperately to think of something witty to say.

He had actually had _dreams _about this happening.

Cindy back in town. Cindy talking to him. She had moved way back in 11th grade, and, especially since graduating high school, he had definatly thought Cindy was long gone. "_Why would she come back?...__Say something,"_ He commanded himself.

She beat him to the punch. Pointing an accusatory finger at him, she started in.

"_Just like old times..." _he thought, not sure whether to be relived or disappointed.

"Have I got a mouthful for _you_, Neutron."

"Uh, oh." Whispered Sheen.

"For eight years, I've been thinking about this. About you. I knew I had to come back here and finish what I started the day I left."

Jimmy frowned, stetting up his defenses. He should have known that she would come all the way back to Retroville just to slam him. But, it was almost worth it just to see her again. "_Man," _he thought, "_who would've thought it? Vortex, blonde bombshell." _He allowed himself a glance at her pants. "_Yep," _he smiled inwardly, "_she still wears her pants too short. But…she…dang, she looks hot."_

"You and I never got along."

"Yeah," He finally gathered his breath, ready to defend himself. For old times' sake, at least. "Well, I-"

"Let me finish." She held up a hand. "...and we both said a _lot_ of things that day that I've been doing a lot of _thinking_ about."

_"Her eyes are like green stone."_ He took a breath, and was surprised to be comforted at her scent.

"I'm sure you and Betty ended up getting real chummy-"

Maybe this was his chance. "_Didn't she ever figure out that she was the one I liked, not Betty?" _His heart skipped a beat. He had tried to bury those feelings ages ago. In fact, he had never really admitted it to himself before.

Much less to Vortex.

But, Betty Q. _had_ been a convenient distraction while she lasted. Which hadn't been long. "_Without Cindy around to be jealous, what was the point?"_

"Actually-"

"Cork it, Neutron, I'm not done. See, you said a lot of things to me that day. A lot of things _about_ me. How I'd never be like Betty, like any girl, to you."

He winced. "_If only I could take it all back!"_

She took a deep breath.

"Uh, oh." He thought now, "_She's going for the kill. And she's had 8 years to come up with a good slam. Why do I have to care about her, of all people? All this abuse, and I still…"_

"I had to come back. To try to prove a point."

"What's that?" Sheen asked, not sure if he wanted to know.

Cindy locked eyes with Jimmy, stepping closer, until he could_feel_ her breath on his face.

"_This_."


	2. Chapter Two Closure

Looking back, it never should have happened. Never in a million years would Jimmy, Sheen, or any other person who knew the two ever have predicted it.

She grabbed his collar. Time slowed, it seemed, to slow motion.

She pulled him close. Jimmy's stomach tightened, his heart kicked into ward speed.

Eyes closed, heart beating rapidly, she pressed her lips to his.

Jimmy, for the first time in his life, ceased to think.

And, for a moment, it was _perfect_. No Sheen, no time passing by, no years of fighting between them. It had to end eventually, but she staved it off until the very end.

Breaking away softly, she pushed him gently away. He was actually dizzy from the kiss. "_I always thought it was only an expression."_

"So _there,_ _**James Isaac Neutron**_." With those parting words, she turned to go.

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm, stepping in front of her. "What-"

She took in a breath. "Look, we don't have to talk about it. I just- I just had to finish what I started. I never told you how I felt. And I never expected you to feel the same thing. I just needed some- some closure." For the first time, she looked away from his gaze. "I couldn't stop thinking about you, Nerdtr- Jimmy. I just needed to do this. You can go back to your life and forget about me now, like you did before." She returned his gaze now.

For a moment, he saw behind the hardness, the steel coating of her eyes. He saw a flicker of something softer.

He knew now. She had felt the same thing for him. All those wasted years, they had thought about each other, neither accepting the responsibility to make the first move.

She pushed past him, heading for her car. He was sorry he had waited this long.

She wiped away a tear, hoping he didn't notice.

…he wasn't going to wait another eight years.

Running to catch her, he shut the car door before she could get in.

Mustering the bravery within him that she had shown, he pulled her close in kind. "I never forgot about you, Cindy. Never."

The second kiss was deeper. Mutual. They leaned into each other, enjoying the lack of space between them.

And for a moment, Jimmy felt _right_. He knew what had been missing all those years. And, although he was well aware of all the abuse they had put each other through, he knew it had to have happened eventually.

He always _had _known.


End file.
